[bluejeanz]

Oh, gosh, I just posted a new thread about silicone bakeware, not seeing this one.

I've bought so much of it this past year. I love the stuff. Sure you may have to lightly spray a release agent depending on what you're baking but what I love about it is that it's truly non-stick, easy to clean and easy to store (you can roll the stuff up to conserve space).

Where before I'd have to grease a loaf pan and put "insurance" down (a piece of waxed or parchment paper) so it wouldn't stick to the bottom of the pan, I think the silicone gives me a better baked product in that it browns well, gives you a firm crisp loaf and pops right out of the pan without pieces sticking to the pan. In fact, when I make beer bread, it comes out with a much better browned crust than in a metal pan. And it's perfectly shaped.

I recently bought something called "bake sheets". It's a large (half sheet pan sized) sheet that has a metal frame around the edge so you can get it in and out of the oven easily. There's also a small lip around the edge so there's no spillage. These are also great to use when making candies like toffee or peanut brittle. They peel right off. I know you can use the silicone baking sheets (Silpats) in a regular metal baking sheet but the bake sheets have many uses.

I guess using the stuff takes some getting used to.